The present invention relates, in general, to cellular telephones being used in motor vehicles and, more particularly, this invention relates to a method of preventing a driver of a motor vehicle from using a cellular telephone while such motor vehicle is in motion.
The use of cell phones in automobiles and other motor vehicles has grown to alarming proportions in recent years. What was once used as an auxiliary piece of emergency equipment in a vehicle has now become a common and potentially dangerous appliance in a vehicle. Usage of the phone has increased dramatically in recent years. Not only has there been a significant increase in the number of cell phones in vehicles but the use of the phones has also seen a dramatic change.
Drivers are using the cell phones for many different reasons. Whether its a salesman checking in at the office on the order of business or a person just calling home or calling a friend, cell phones are being used at a significantly increased rate. Many, many phones are being used by drivers while their vehicles are moving and not just moving but traveling at high speeds. Cellular telephones are being used by drivers even on high speed interstate highways.
The use of cell phones has become such a problem that many state legislatures and even the federal government are considering passing legislation to curb the use of cell phones while the vehicle is moving. However, as with many laws such as those which require seat beat use, this type of law is very difficult to enforce.
There is a growing need for some piece of equipment that can be mounted in a vehicle which can prevent the use of the cell phone by the driver while the vehicle is moving.
In a first embodiment the present invention provides a method for preventing a driver and/or operator of a motor vehicle from using a cellular telephone while the motor vehicle is in motion. The invention comprises a step of determining a position of the gear shift lever disposed in a first predetermined location on such motor vehicle and generating a first signal when the position of such gear shift lever is moved to and remains in a position of one of drive, overdrive, second, low, and reverse. Another step involves transmitting such first signal generated in a previous step to a means disposed in a second predetermined location on such motor vehicle for generating a reverse phase signal. Another step involves generating such reverse phase signal when such first signal is received by such means. A next step is transmitting such reverse phase signal for a predetermined radius from such second predetermined location. A last step is preventing any cellular telephone transmission within such predetermined radius while such reversed phase frequency signal is being transmitted.
Another embodiment of the invention requires a modification to present cell phones. This method for preventing a driver of a motor vehicle from using a cellular telephone while the vehicle is in motion comprises a first step of determining a position of a gear shift lever disposed in a predetermined location on such motor vehicle and generating a first signal when such gear shift lever is moved to and remains in one of drive, overdrive, second, low and reverse. Another step involves transmitting such first signal, generated in a previous step, to a receiving and transmitting means disposed in a second predetermined location on such motor vehicle for generating a second signal. The next step involves generating a second signal when such first signal is received by such receiving and transmitting means for generating the second signal and then transmitting such second signal for a predetermined radius from such second predetermined location. Another step is receiving such second signal by an AM receiver section of a cellular telephone and, finally, preventing any cellular telephone transmission within such predetermined radius while such second signal is being received by such AM receiver section of such cellular telephone.
Another alternative embodiment of the invention includes an apparatus for preventing a motor vehicle driver from using a cellular telephone while such motor vehicle is in motion. Such apparatus comprises a first means disposed in a first predetermined location on such motor vehicle for determining a position of gear shift lever of such motor vehicle and for generating and transmitting a first signal when such gear shift lever is moved to and remains in a position of one of drive, overdrive, second, low and reverse. There is a phase reversal generator and transmitter disposed at a second predetermined location on such motor vehicle for receiving such first signal transmitted by such first means and for generating and transmitting a reverse phase output signal when such phase reversal generator and transmitter is activated by such first signal. A second means is disposed on such phase reversal generator and transmitter for controlling transmission of the reverse phase power output signal of such phase reversal generator and transmitter so as to transmit such reverse phase power output signal for a predetermined radius. Such reverse phase power output signal from such phase reversal generator and transmitter prevents any cellular telephone transmission within such predetermined radius while such phase reversal generator and transmitter is transmitting such reverse phase power output signal.
Still another alternative embodiment of the invention provides a method for preventing a driver of a motor vehicle from using a cellular telephone while the motor vehicle is in one of a forward motion and a reverse motion. The method comprises the steps of determining a position of a gear shift lever that is disposed in a first predetermined location on the motor vehicle and generating a first signal when the gear shift lever is moved to and remains in a position, determined in a previous step, which will allow the motor vehicle to move into one of a forward motion and a reverse motion. There is a step of transmitting such first signal to a receiving and transmitting means disposed in a second predetermined location on the motor vehicle for enabling such receiving and transmitting means to generate a second signal. Another step involves generating and transmitting a third signal from such cellular telephone, within a predetermined radius, to such receiving and transmitting means indicating that such cellular telephone is transmitting thereby activating such receiving and transmitting means which had been enabled in a previous step to generate a second signal when the receiving and transmitting means also receives such third signal that such cellular telephone is transmitting. There is a step of generating such second signal by such receiving and transmitting means when such first signal, generated in a previous step, and such third signal, also generated in a previous step, are both received by such receiving and transmitting means for generating such second signal. The next step is transmitting such second signal for a predetermined radius from such second predetermined location with a message to such cellular telephone within the predetermined radius telling such cellular telephone user that within a predetermined time one of such driver must stop cellular telephone transmission or such motor vehicle would be shut down. The final step involves shutting down such motor vehicle if such cellular telephone transmission has not ceased within the predetermined time.
Yet another alternative embodiment provides a method for preventing a motor vehicle driver from using a cellular phone while such motor vehicle is in motion. Such method comprises determining a speed of such motor vehicle and generating a first signal when such speed of such motor vehicle exceeds a predetermined speed. There is a step of transmitting the first signal, generated in a previous step, to a means disposed in a predetermined location on such motor vehicle for generating a reverse phase signal and then generating such reverse phase signal when the first signal is received by the means for generating the reverse phase signal. There is then a step of transmitting the reverse phase signal for a predetermined radius from such predetermined location and, finally, preventing any cellular telephone transmission substantially within the predetermined radius while the reverse phase signal is being transmitted.
Still another alternative embodiment of the invention provides a method for preventing a driver of a motor vehicle from using a cellular telephone while the motor vehicle is in motion. The invention comprises a step of determining one of a position of the gear shift lever and an ignition switch by a first means disposed in a first predetermined location on such motor vehicle There is a step of generating a first signal by said first means when the position of one of such gear shift lever is moved to and remains in a position of one of drive, overdrive, second, low, and reverse and such ignition switch is moved to an on position. Another step involves transmitting such first signal generated in a previous step to a second means disposed in a second predetermined location on such motor vehicle for generating a reverse phase signal.
Another step involves generating such reverse phase signal when such first signal is received by such second means. A next step is transmitting such reverse phase signal for a predetermined radius from such second predetermined location. A last step is preventing any cellular telephone transmission within such predetermined radius while such reversed phase frequency signal is being transmitted.
In still yet another alternative embodiment of the invention there is provided in combination with a cellular telephone that is used for wireless communication, an improvement comprising a first means or device disposed one of on and within such cellular telephone for transmitting a short range signal for a distance of up to about 3 feet. Such short range signal activates a second means that is disposed closely adjacent a driver of a motor vehicle. Such second means generates and transmits a signal which will prevent cellular telephone transmission.
Another alternative embodiment of the invention provides a method for preventing a driver of a motor vehicle from using a cellular telephone while such motor vehicle is in a mode which would enable such motor vehicle to move in any direction. Such method comprises the steps of determining a position of an ignition switch by a first means disposed in a first predetermined location on such motor vehicle and generating a first signal when such ignition switch is determined to have been moved to an on position. There is a step of transmitting such first signal to a second means disposed in a second predetermined location on said motor vehicle for generating a reverse phase signal. There is a step of generating such reverse phase signal by the second means when such first signal is received by the second means. The next step is transmitting such reverse phase signal for a predetermined radius from the second predetermined location while the position of the ignition switch is on and preventing any cellular telephone transmission substantially within the predetermined radius while the reverse phase signal is being transmitted.
Still another alternative embodiment of the invention provides in combination with a cellular telephone, the improvement comprises a first means disposed one of on and within such cellular telephone for transmitting a short range signal for a distance of up to about 3 feet, a method for preventing a driver of a motor vehicle from using said cellular telephone while such motor vehicle is in a mode which would enable such motor vehicle to move into one of a forward motion and a reverse motion. The method comprises the steps of determining a position of a gear shift lever disposed in a first predetermined location on the motor vehicle and generating a first signal when the gear shift lever is moved to and remains in a position which will allow the motor vehicle to move into one of a forward motion and a reverse motion. There is the step of transmitting the first signal to a receiver and signal generating means that is disposed in a second predetermined location on the motor vehicle. There is a second signal transmitted by the means disposed one of on and within such cellular telephone to the receiver and signal generating means thereby activating the receiver and signal generating means which had previously been enabled to generate a third signal. There is a step of generating the third signal when the first signal and the second signal are both received by the receiver and signal generating means and transmitting the third signal to a message unit. Such message unit transmits a message to such cellular telephone disposed within a predetermined radius telling the cellular telephone user to remove the cellular telephone from such driver""s area of such motor vehicle. Such receiver and signal generating means also transmits the third signal to a phase reversal transmitter, disposed in a third predetermined location, for transmitting a reverse phase signal for such predetermined radius from such third predetermined location. There is a step of transmitting such reverse phase signal for such predetermined radius from the third predetermined location by the phase reversal transmitter and thus, preventing cellular telephone transmission within the predetermined radius while such cellular telephone is within the predetermined radius and the phase reversal generator is transmitting such reverse phase signal.
Yet another alternative embodiment of the invention provides in combination with a cellular telephone, the improvement comprises a first means disposed one of on and within such cellular telephone for transmitting a short range signal for a distance of up to about 3 feet, a method for preventing a driver of a motor vehicle from using such cellular telephone while such motor vehicle is in a mode which would enable such motor vehicle to move into one of a forward motion and a reverse motion. The method comprises the steps of determining a position of an ignition switch disposed in a first predetermined location on the motor vehicle and generating a first signal when the position of the ignition switch is moved to an on position. There is the step of transmitting the first signal to a receiver and signal generating means that is disposed in a second predetermined location on the motor vehicle. There is a second signal transmitted by the means disposed one of on and within such cellular telephone to the receiver and signal generating means thereby activating the receiver and signal generating means which had previously been enabled to generate a third signal. There is a step of generating the third signal when the first signal and the second signal are both received by the receiver and signal generating means and transmitting the third signal to a message unit. Such message unit transmits a message to such cellular telephone disposed within a predetermined radius telling the cellular telephone user to remove the cellular telephone from such driver""s area of such motor vehicle. Such receiver and signal generating means also transmits the third signal to a phase reversal transmitter, disposed in a third predetermined location, for transmitting a reverse phase signal for such predetermined radius from such third predetermined location. There is a step of transmitting such reverse phase signal for such predetermined radius from the third predetermined location by the phase reversal transmitter and thus, preventing cellular telephone transmission within the predetermined radius while such cellular telephone is within the predetermined radius and the phase reversal generator is transmitting such reverse phase signal.
In still yet another alternative embodiment of the invention there is provided an apparatus, in combination with a device disposed one of on and within a cellular telephone for transmitting a low powered signal for a predetermined distance, for preventing a motor vehicle driver from using such cellular telephone while such motor vehicle is in one of a forward motion and a reverse motion. The apparatus comprises a first means disposed in a first predetermined location on such motor vehicle for determining a position of a gear shift lever of such motor vehicle and for generating and transmitting a first signal when such position of such gear shift lever is moved to and remains at one which would allow such motor vehicle to move in one of a forward motion and a reverse motion. There is a receiver and signal generating means disposed in a second predetermined location on the motor vehicle for receiving such first signal thereby enabling the receiver and signal generating means to generate a second signal and for receiving such low powered signal transmitted by the device when such cellular telephone is disposed within a predetermined radius, thereby activating the receiver and signal generating means for generating such second signal when such first signal and such low powered signal are both received by the receiver and signal generating means. A message unit is disposed in a third predetermined location for receiving such second signal and for transmitting a message to such cellular telephone, that is disposed within the predetermined radius, telling such cellular telephone user to remove such cellular telephone from such driver""s area of such motor vehicle. A phase reversal generator and transmitter is disposed on such motor vehicle at a fourth predetermined location for receiving such second signal transmitted by such receiver and signal generating means and for generating and transmitting a reverse phase power output signal for a predetermined radius when the phase reversal generator and transmitter is activated by such second signal wherein such predetermined radius of the reverse phase power output signal from such phase reversal generator and transmitter is at least sufficient to prevent any cellular telephone transmission within the predetermined radius when the phase reversal transmitter and generator is transmitting such reverse phase power output signal.
It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus which will prevent a cell phone from being used by a driver of a motor vehicle while such vehicle is in motion.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for preventing a cell phone from being used by a driver of a motor vehicle while such vehicle is in motion that does not require modification of the cell phone.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method for preventing a cell phone from being used by a driver of a motor vehicle while such vehicle is in motion that will not affect cell phone usage by others in the car.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which could be mounted in a motor vehicle and prevent the use of a cell phone by the driver while the vehicle is in motion.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a cellular telephone equipped to transmit a short range signal which can be used in conjunction with other equipment on a motor vehicle to prevent use of such cellular telephone by the driver of such motor vehicle.